19-year-old arrested for stabbing family member to death in Madera

A family is devastated, as detectives piecing together as what caused a son to stab his father to death.

19-year-old Sean Dix remains in custody on a million dollar bond for killing his father, Jose Moreno, Tuesday evening in Madera

"At this point, he's been charged with murder," said Madera Police Sgt. Mark Trukki. "Obviously there are different things that can play into this, the heat of passion, that caused him to react in this manner."

According to detectives, the murder happened inside a pickup truck that was parked in front of a relative's home near South I and 7th Streets.

Dix, who was in the passenger's seat, at some point became agitated and pulled out a pocket knife

"He confessed to stabbing his father," said Sgt. Trukki. "They became involved in an altercation inside the truck and he stabbed him several times in the upper chest while seated in the truck."

Police say the 44-year-old Moreno was able to exit the vehicle and call for help, but he later died at Community Regional Medical Center in Downtown Fresno.

"We're looking into what may have caused the altercation, to talk to the family once things do settle down, so we can get some background into why a father and son would reach this level," said Sgt. Trukki.

Moreno leaves behind five children.

The family says Dix was a straight-A student, who recently enlisted in the military and was engaged to be married later this year.